Erlkonig Accompaniment

[t***@gmail.com]

This is an ancient thread but still relevant and I wish to add to it:

1) if you have a small hand and have to stretch for an octave, it will be much more difficult.

2) piano actions have a tremendous effect on your speed and also your stamina. Ironically, I am about 25-33% faster on a friend's nickelodeon which has a very stiff, but sharp action when compared to my home upright. (Obviously the horizontal grand action is even faster - but they vary all over the place.)

3) so given the wide variety of actions, how do you practice? My thought is that you want to practice on the slowest action that will be the worst you will encounter. But for me, I can't get there with a slow action. If you become expert on a fast action and then have to play a slow one - well, your guess is as good as mine, but the prognosis is not good.

[f***@gmail.com]

If you haven't already, read "The Riddle of the Pianist's Finger" by Arnold Schultz (1936) and also read "The Physiological Mechanics of Piano Technique" by Otto Ortmann (1929).

When practicing/performing the Erlkoenig, you need to hold your elbow absolutely in place using your larger arm muscles (tricep, pectoral). This helps to keep the wrist loose, giving it a "vibrato" effect. Also, finger pads must remain on key tops and firm. Some finger motion needs to be used as well from the smaller hand muscles. Start at slower tempo with these things in mind, bringing the speed up as you gain strength and endurance.

Post by t***@gmail.com
1) if you have a small hand and have to stretch for an octave, it will be much more difficult.
2) piano actions have a tremendous effect on your speed and also your stamina. Ironically, I am about 25-33% faster on a friend's nickelodeon which has a very stiff, but sharp action when compared to my home upright. (Obviously the horizontal grand action is even faster - but they vary all over the place.)
3) so given the wide variety of actions, how do you practice? My thought is that you want to practice on the slowest action that will be the worst you will encounter. But for me, I can't get there with a slow action. If you become expert on a fast action and then have to play a slow one - well, your guess is as good as mine, but the prognosis is not good.